Barry
Wellman and Jeffrey Boase
Contemporary Sociology 49 (6), 2001:Forthcoming.
Abstract
We analyze the transfer of biological, computer and word of mouth marketing viruses. Despite differences between these three types of viruses, network structure affects their spread in similar ways. We distinguish between two types of networks - densely knit and ramified - and show that biological, computer and marketing viruses all behave in similar ways depending on the type of network. Densely knit networks promote the quick dissemination of a virus, and increases the odds that many of the members will become infected. Ramified networks allow a virus to disperse widely, jumping between different milieus. In the end, the spread of viruses in the real world involves a combination of both densely knit and ramified networks, which we call "glocalization".